Jacksonville Texas History:
In 1847, Jackson Smith built a house and a blacksmith shop on the east bank of Gum Creek. The Gum Creek post office was established in 1848 with Smith as postmaster. Soon after, Dr. William Jackson established a practice near smith’s shop. In 1850, Smith surveyed the townsite on his land. The town was named after both men. The post office was renamed Jacksonville in June, 1850. When the International-Great Northern Railroad built through Cherokee County in 1872, it bypassed Jacksonville by a few miles, so the town moved two miles east to the railroad. During these early years the town’s economy was primarily based on agriculture. From the 1880s to 1914, Jacksonville was a leader in the peach industry. From 1914 to the 1950s, tomatoes were the primary crop. After 1980, livestock and plastics manufacturing were the lead industries. The Jacksonville Video features the downtown area. Jacksonville is located at the intersections of U.S 79, U.S. 69, IH 195, SH 204, SH 135 and several farm roads, 50 miles southeast of Malakoff and the Cedar Creek Reservoir & WMA, 39 miles southeast of Athens, 16 miles southeast of Frankston, 12 miles southeast of Lake Palestine, 27.4 miles south of Tyler, 13 miles south of Bullard, 54 miles southwest of Longview, 42 miles southwest of Kilgore, 34.9 miles southwest of Joinerville, 32.5 miles southwest of Henderson, 26 miles southwest of Whitehouse, 38 miles west of Mount Enterprise, 25.4 miles northwest Alto, 14 miles northwest of Rusk,12.6 miles north of Maydelle, and 26 miles northeast of Palestine, Texas.

Killough Monument:
The monument is made of native stone; it commemorates victims of East Texas' worst Indian depredation; the monument is erected on the spot where massacre took place on Oct. 5, 1838. It is located seven miles northwest of Jacksonville near community of Larissa. Take U.S. 69 north to Mount Selman, and F.M. 855 (not shown on most maps) west to Larissa. 903/683-9680. Email